On December 6th I decided to quit Basketball. it was no easy decision at all, I like my team and would have loved to play Basketball but I realized I can't do it, it is just way to hard on me. The dirty thirty "killed" me and afterwards I couldn't participate that well any longer and through that I felt like I left my team down. I am just not as good as they are, still not used to the hard training every day, sometimes Saturday. I don't want to let them down, so the only way I could go, was quitting Basketball. :( Until Spring I have time now to either do nothing after school or maybe a club or something, I don't know, yet. I will see. Through the 2 months of Basketball I learned and experienced how it is to be in a athletic team, the support from the team mates, how far I can go and the improvent I made, the school spirit during a game, the hard practice, was at a Prude game and even took a picture with that team.
Yes, I liked Basketball but now it's over for me and I'm fine with it.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Shipshewana trip
4 months!! :O Wait a minute.. Seriously?!? I'm here already for 4 months? I almost reached half-time, that's so crazy I still feel like I have just arrived.. But in this post I am telling you a little bit about our Shipshewana trip!
From November 17 - November 18 (day 94; 95) our group of exchange students wereon a trip at shipshewana, a town were Amish people live. Amish people don't believe in electricity or driving in a car but believe a lot in God. I know it's not a very good explanation. But anyhow, we went to that town, called Shipshewana for the weekend.
In the morning at 7 am, Mom brought Rost, Wasilia and me to the school where our local coordinator already waited for us. As we got into the bus there were already some other exchange students from our group. After some time another group joined us. I talked a lot with Heluma (Brazil), Dody (Egypt), Sahya (Israel) and José (Mexico). We drove about 1 hour or so north until we got to Wendy's, where I ordered a burger with coke and French fries, I gave the fries to Wasilia. :D
Our first thing we visited was the chocolate factory. I really love it! As we entered the factory the smell of chocolate was all around us, mmnn! First we went to the store where we got some percent off of everything we brought, I went to the "Almost perfect" section, that is chocolate which is not perfect by looks and so had also some percents off. I brought some of chocolate pralines.
Afterwards our guide talked a little bit about the history from chocolate, from the cacao bean to the final chocolate. (Nathi, that reminded me so much of the KPP, that was scary! ) Then we were split into 2 groups, our group saw the factory first, we first saw huge plates of chocolate, and then we went into another room where they prepared "turtles ", a special kind of chocolate praline, nuts,caramel and chocolate. First the nuts went through machines with caramel and through a " waterfall of chocolate". Before we left the room we all got some samples, yeah! The next thing we saw was the packing station where the chocolate is being packet into fancy paper and boxes, afterwards we had the chance to make our own chocolate lollipop, we spinned a spoon in chocolate which then went into a refrigerator. As we all had finished making our lollipop we could walk through a museum about chocolate. As we left the factory everyone of us got a little bag with chocolate.
After the chocolate factory we drove to Shipshewana. We first drove around the town, the stores looked like houses and some of them had already Christmas decoration on them, it looked just great! Unfortunately I couldn't take a picture of it :/ After we were done with our tour around the town, which like I said was real beautiful, we split into 3 groups. I was in the third one and as we got out of our bus and first searched a bathroom. We found one in Subway. As we were done the group I was with, which had been the second one had to go and I searched for my group. Heluma was in my group and as we waited until I would be our turn we took some pictures on an interesting chair and next to a horse buggy, in the first place we wanted to walk through the town and take some pictures but we weren't sure whether we would be allowed to. The buggy ride was great but also a little bit cold and pur driver was kinda crazy. Once Heluma had to turn right and she moved both hand to the right to make the horse turn right but instead it continued walking straight and Heluma started panicking, until our driver turned. The ride was funny but also real slow.
Afterwards we drove in our bus to a farm. We met there some Amish children which were real cute and our group took a picture with them :D Then we looked at a steam machine for a while and got some cookies from an older woman.
Our next stop was a cheese factory. It was called : "Deutsch Kase Haus". As I saw that I was really astonished by that! In the factory we could buy and try cheese and also different things like chocolate, candy and jelly. Then finally we drove to our hotel.We got our keys and went to our rooms. I was in a room with 5 other girls. The rest of the day we spent walking around in the hotel, taking pictures and once we were in a game hall for a little bit. In the late evening we got pop, popcorn and chips and went into a room and played a game and just talked. We went to our rooms at around 12, there the girls in our room and I talked until almost 1 in the morning. The day had been just great! :D
The next morning we woke at around 8:30 and got ready, packed our stuff and such and then went to go eat breakfast. After breakfast we got slowly ready to leave but before that Wasilia,Dody, a girl from Germany and another girl and I took some funny pictures. Then we went downstairs and put all our luggage into the bus and met all of our group in the reception hall. There we played a game until about 12:30. Afterwards we drove to a museum about Amish people, we could first look through a store and then walked into several rooms to stories or watched movies about Amish people. Afterwards we all got back into the bus and stopped at Subway to eat something. The scholarship students went first, which was almost the whole bus! And then the rest of us could get into line. On our way back home I talked a lot with the students, it was just so much fun! As we had to say good-bye to our new friends I was just so extremly sad. But luckily I'll see them again! :D
Wasilia,Rost and I were back in our town at 6pm. There Wasilia's hostdad already waited for us and brought us back home. At home I was kind of sad that the trip had already been over but also happy being home again! :)
All in all it was a very awesome and funny weekend!!
From November 17 - November 18 (day 94; 95) our group of exchange students wereon a trip at shipshewana, a town were Amish people live. Amish people don't believe in electricity or driving in a car but believe a lot in God. I know it's not a very good explanation. But anyhow, we went to that town, called Shipshewana for the weekend.
In the morning at 7 am, Mom brought Rost, Wasilia and me to the school where our local coordinator already waited for us. As we got into the bus there were already some other exchange students from our group. After some time another group joined us. I talked a lot with Heluma (Brazil), Dody (Egypt), Sahya (Israel) and José (Mexico). We drove about 1 hour or so north until we got to Wendy's, where I ordered a burger with coke and French fries, I gave the fries to Wasilia. :D
Our first thing we visited was the chocolate factory. I really love it! As we entered the factory the smell of chocolate was all around us, mmnn! First we went to the store where we got some percent off of everything we brought, I went to the "Almost perfect" section, that is chocolate which is not perfect by looks and so had also some percents off. I brought some of chocolate pralines.
Afterwards our guide talked a little bit about the history from chocolate, from the cacao bean to the final chocolate. (Nathi, that reminded me so much of the KPP, that was scary! ) Then we were split into 2 groups, our group saw the factory first, we first saw huge plates of chocolate, and then we went into another room where they prepared "turtles ", a special kind of chocolate praline, nuts,caramel and chocolate. First the nuts went through machines with caramel and through a " waterfall of chocolate". Before we left the room we all got some samples, yeah! The next thing we saw was the packing station where the chocolate is being packet into fancy paper and boxes, afterwards we had the chance to make our own chocolate lollipop, we spinned a spoon in chocolate which then went into a refrigerator. As we all had finished making our lollipop we could walk through a museum about chocolate. As we left the factory everyone of us got a little bag with chocolate.
After the chocolate factory we drove to Shipshewana. We first drove around the town, the stores looked like houses and some of them had already Christmas decoration on them, it looked just great! Unfortunately I couldn't take a picture of it :/ After we were done with our tour around the town, which like I said was real beautiful, we split into 3 groups. I was in the third one and as we got out of our bus and first searched a bathroom. We found one in Subway. As we were done the group I was with, which had been the second one had to go and I searched for my group. Heluma was in my group and as we waited until I would be our turn we took some pictures on an interesting chair and next to a horse buggy, in the first place we wanted to walk through the town and take some pictures but we weren't sure whether we would be allowed to. The buggy ride was great but also a little bit cold and pur driver was kinda crazy. Once Heluma had to turn right and she moved both hand to the right to make the horse turn right but instead it continued walking straight and Heluma started panicking, until our driver turned. The ride was funny but also real slow.
Afterwards we drove in our bus to a farm. We met there some Amish children which were real cute and our group took a picture with them :D Then we looked at a steam machine for a while and got some cookies from an older woman.
Our next stop was a cheese factory. It was called : "Deutsch Kase Haus". As I saw that I was really astonished by that! In the factory we could buy and try cheese and also different things like chocolate, candy and jelly. Then finally we drove to our hotel.We got our keys and went to our rooms. I was in a room with 5 other girls. The rest of the day we spent walking around in the hotel, taking pictures and once we were in a game hall for a little bit. In the late evening we got pop, popcorn and chips and went into a room and played a game and just talked. We went to our rooms at around 12, there the girls in our room and I talked until almost 1 in the morning. The day had been just great! :D
The next morning we woke at around 8:30 and got ready, packed our stuff and such and then went to go eat breakfast. After breakfast we got slowly ready to leave but before that Wasilia,Dody, a girl from Germany and another girl and I took some funny pictures. Then we went downstairs and put all our luggage into the bus and met all of our group in the reception hall. There we played a game until about 12:30. Afterwards we drove to a museum about Amish people, we could first look through a store and then walked into several rooms to stories or watched movies about Amish people. Afterwards we all got back into the bus and stopped at Subway to eat something. The scholarship students went first, which was almost the whole bus! And then the rest of us could get into line. On our way back home I talked a lot with the students, it was just so much fun! As we had to say good-bye to our new friends I was just so extremly sad. But luckily I'll see them again! :D
Wasilia,Rost and I were back in our town at 6pm. There Wasilia's hostdad already waited for us and brought us back home. At home I was kind of sad that the trip had already been over but also happy being home again! :)
All in all it was a very awesome and funny weekend!!
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| I found Aldi sued in America! xD |
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| Heluma <3 br="br"> |
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| Deutsch Kase Haus! |
Monday, December 10, 2012
December!
Hey! It's already December!
I still can't believe it! Soon, very soon we'll have Christmas, yeah! I am sorry I didn't write something in a while and it's even a month ago! I'm so sorry about that! I know I still have to write about church, the shipshewana trip, Thanksgiving, Trudy's Christmas party and I some things more I can't think of right now. I'm working on it but I'm just so busy all the time, haha! ;D
Anyhow I just wanted you to know I'm planning to write about some things in the hopefully near future!
Xoxo Clarissa
I still can't believe it! Soon, very soon we'll have Christmas, yeah! I am sorry I didn't write something in a while and it's even a month ago! I'm so sorry about that! I know I still have to write about church, the shipshewana trip, Thanksgiving, Trudy's Christmas party and I some things more I can't think of right now. I'm working on it but I'm just so busy all the time, haha! ;D
Anyhow I just wanted you to know I'm planning to write about some things in the hopefully near future!
Xoxo Clarissa
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The truth about homesickness
This post is going to be different from my other ones, because I am not talking about what I did the last time it is about how I feel , I want to talk about homesickness.
I have been homesick in the last few weeks and I can tell it is not a great feeling. In fact to me it is the worst feeling ever. It real sucks when you are sitting somewhere and everything's fine and all out of sudden you start missing home, your family, friends at home. Or simply a situation pops into your mind and you start thinking about home and start missing it. The problem about it is that I can't do anything about it. Well at east not that much.
Once I just had to think about Martin because of some reason and got homesick, just a word or a action can remind me of home and make me sad. It can get really worse and I started thinking about home, going home because it hurt so bad. I just miss simple things like talking with my friends not having to think about what to say, being fully understood, siting in the living room with Mama and Papa and just listen to the newest news from Mama, talking about movies and actors with Papa, or just looking out of the window and watching people walking by. But luckily I have a wonderful host family which manages it to cheer me up again when I start missing home and talk with me about it. That makes it a lot easier.
In school I still have troubles finding friends and talking with others, it's not easy talking with someone when you don't understand everything, or don't know what to say. And during the periods you don't really can talk to them because the teacher wants us to be quiet, and after school I also don't have time to meet with friends because I have practice until 5:30 and then homework is still waiting
for me.
I found good friends in exchange students with which it's easier to talk to because they go through the same as I do and can understand what I am going through because they go through the same, we can
exchange our feelings about homesickness, what is strange or new to us. I found good friends in Wasilia and Rost which helped me seeing the good sides again when I was or am sad. When I'm with
my classmates i often feel left out , they don't understand how it is being in a new , foreign country,
how hard it is to find friends, to understand everything or being understood.
Yes it is true and now I finally believe all the returnees, homesickness sucks. But I know it will get better and my homesickness will fade away.
Like you may can tell, I was homesick as I wrote this and still I'm fighting with it but it's getting better :)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Purdue basketball game
Day 86- 9. November 2012 Friday
Usually Fridays are amazing, the weekend is right in front of me, no school, tests or quizzes, usually no homework and plenty of time with my wonderful family. But this weekend didn't start that great. I used to think, that homesickness would just go away after a few hours or a day but no I was wrong.
This weekend it just came back to me, and this time it was real though on me. It started as Dad's sister came to visit over the weekend. She reminded me so much of Sybille (Nuremberg) and I had to think so bad about Germany and my rabbits. All out of sudden I started crying and couldn't stop for about 5 - 10 minutes. It was bad. But luckily Mom was there and talked with me about 1 hour until I felt a little better.
Day 87- 10. November 2012
This morning looked better then the day before. Even though I had practice I was happy because it just started at 10 am.
Look at my other blog to see the other thing that happened, I won't write it down here, just check the other blog.
Well, we had been at Grandpa's and Aunt Cindy's house to celebrate Justins birthday. But Nikki, Kariden and I couldn't stay that long because we went to the Prudues basketball game in Lafayette. I had to be at the school at 5:15, but I thought I have to be there at 5 and was surprised that nobody was there at 5. Jup the German always in a hurry and early, right? xD
So we had to wait more than 20 minutes until I could get into the bus and finally on our way to Purdue. We all were in a very good mood, listened to music and talked, it was great fun! As we got into the arena I was amazed, the arena was huge! I was so excited. The game was great, too. I whish I could play like they can, the Prudue team even won the game! After the game our team, our basketball team were there to watch it, went to the basement of it and got to the court to take a picture with the team!! I was so excited, that was just amazing! My first basketball game and then THAT! It felt so great, kind of important, haha. Afterwards we got into the bus again and stopped by an ice- cream store and got some ice-cream. The scoopes were huge! It was like 2 scoops in Germany :D. And it was really good! But first I had some difficulties to order because the price was made out of the scoop, the cone and the tax, it took me a while to find out how much it actually was but my team mates helped me. The day had been very exciting and amazing!
First Basketball game, fall award festival
Day 82- 5. November 2012 Monday
After school I stayed at the school until 4 because then we met with Tracy, our coach to get our uniforms, we should have our very first basketball game! Even though it was just a scrimmage, a game which doesn't count, I was really nervous. After we got our uniforms we got into the bus, a yellow school bus! I was so excited! The first time I rode in a yellow school bus, to my very first game!!! As we arrived at the other school I was really nervous as we walked through that huge school. Since I play JV, junior varsity, we had to play during the 3 rd quarter. Before the varsity game started everyone rose and listened to the national anthem, like before every game, the the vasity played the first 3 quarters, I was so nervous the whole time, then in the 3rd quarter it was the JV's turn. I was a sub and played about 6 minutes or so, I was so afraid. But I guess I did ok for my first time playing against another school. A brand new experience for me! :) And I just can get better right?
Our team lost the game but it was ok for me, at least it was just a scrimmage.
Day 84- 7. November 2012
After practice and a quick rest at home we went back to the school, because the fall athletes had a fall award festival. Every student who participated in the fall sports got something like a diploma and some got special awards for best improvement, team spirit etc. Some got a blanket r a school leather jacket. The whole award festival was really interesting and fun! Kariden and Nikki both got something, they were in Volleyball, Nikki in varsity and Kari in 8th grade volleyball. Mom told me that also the winter athletes have such a festival, I can''t wait for that! Because I'll be among them! Afterward the awards had been given to the students, we saw a video about the volleyball varsity team.Afterwards everyone got ice-cream and pictures had been taken. Jup it was interesting to see that and I think it is a good idea and way to support the athletes!!
After school I stayed at the school until 4 because then we met with Tracy, our coach to get our uniforms, we should have our very first basketball game! Even though it was just a scrimmage, a game which doesn't count, I was really nervous. After we got our uniforms we got into the bus, a yellow school bus! I was so excited! The first time I rode in a yellow school bus, to my very first game!!! As we arrived at the other school I was really nervous as we walked through that huge school. Since I play JV, junior varsity, we had to play during the 3 rd quarter. Before the varsity game started everyone rose and listened to the national anthem, like before every game, the the vasity played the first 3 quarters, I was so nervous the whole time, then in the 3rd quarter it was the JV's turn. I was a sub and played about 6 minutes or so, I was so afraid. But I guess I did ok for my first time playing against another school. A brand new experience for me! :) And I just can get better right?
Our team lost the game but it was ok for me, at least it was just a scrimmage.
Day 84- 7. November 2012
After practice and a quick rest at home we went back to the school, because the fall athletes had a fall award festival. Every student who participated in the fall sports got something like a diploma and some got special awards for best improvement, team spirit etc. Some got a blanket r a school leather jacket. The whole award festival was really interesting and fun! Kariden and Nikki both got something, they were in Volleyball, Nikki in varsity and Kari in 8th grade volleyball. Mom told me that also the winter athletes have such a festival, I can''t wait for that! Because I'll be among them! Afterward the awards had been given to the students, we saw a video about the volleyball varsity team.Afterwards everyone got ice-cream and pictures had been taken. Jup it was interesting to see that and I think it is a good idea and way to support the athletes!!
Halloween and different things
Day 72 - 26. October 2012 Friday
Even though we had fall break I had to get up at 7 that morning. The reason for that was basketball practice, as I got up everybody was still asleep, I tried to not wake up anybody except Nikki who had to drive me to school. In school everybody was like : " I'm sure I'll pass out today!" the dirty 30 were really though on all of us, Lexi even tripled. But the coaches told me I got better in shooting free throws, I was so happy ! The practice is always two hours long.
At home I simply slept a lot because I was so tired. At the evening we had the birthday party for Katrina. Once again our house were full of people. :)
Day 73 - 27. October 2012 Saturday
I had to wake up early again, at 9 am because of Basketball Free Throw . We had to shot 500 free thows, 4 hours long. From 10am -2 pm. Luckily we hadn't to run this time I was so extremly happy!! Also I did really well, once I even got 9/20! So in the end I managed to get 101/500. I was so proud of that. At half-time we got pizza and pop from our coaches.
Today the kids went trick and treading even though it wasn't Halloween, yet.
At 6 pm we went to Granpa's house with all of the youth group. There we ate some good chili and afterwards we played a game, it was so cold outside but I got the coat from Mom, so I was warm. The game was about finding hidden puzzle pieces with the help of bible phrases. We were seperated into two groups and our group lost the game... But it way still very much fun! Afterwards we played "Kids of the corn field" That is like hide and seek in a cornfield. Laura and I hid together, it was super much fun! We've been the last one in the field and won the game, we were really good in hiding, we head toward a street, walking low, silently and stopped to listen where the others are at.
When ever we heard them close to us we changed our dircetion. Luckily it wasn't that dark so it
wasn't creepy walking through the corn field in the night. At almost the end Laura wrote a message to Dad asking him what we're supposed to do xD He told us that we won the game! :D
Day 77 -31. October 2012 Wednesday -Halloween
Jup, Halloween. If you can believe it or not I really forgot about it compleatly! I remembered it again
as I saw different students being dressed up in school. But the rest of the day I had no real time to worry about that, after school I had again basketball practice which wasn't that hard on me. after
practice Nikki picked me up from the school and we drove to the church. We had a spaghetti dinner. I liked it very much! Also I talked with Wasilia about her presentation she has to do for PAX about her country. So like you see I did nothing Halloween like on Halloween but that doesn't bother me much.
Day 79- 2. November 2012
Even though it was a Saturday it felt like a Friday, because once again basketball practice. As I got home at 10 am, we ate breakfast which felt like lunch to me and soon after got into the car to get to Lafayette. Katrina got her very first haircut that day! In the mall I searched for jeans and a coat but just found some jeans. After we " gave up " searching for a coat we ate at a chinese restaurant, it was real good! Also we font some pretzels, I got one with almonds on it, it were so extremely delicious!
Afterwards we went to Jerry's house and ate a very good fish and just stayed there a few hours. Back home I soon went to bed because I was extremly tired. :)
I can't believe it's already November!! It feels like I just got out of the plane and left Germany!
Random "facts":
Seems like Americans love it to count, especcially when someone is in trouble!
There are corn fields everywhere! - What's around me? Left side, corn field. Right side, corn field.
Behind me, corn fields. In front of me, corn fields. xD
Even though we had fall break I had to get up at 7 that morning. The reason for that was basketball practice, as I got up everybody was still asleep, I tried to not wake up anybody except Nikki who had to drive me to school. In school everybody was like : " I'm sure I'll pass out today!" the dirty 30 were really though on all of us, Lexi even tripled. But the coaches told me I got better in shooting free throws, I was so happy ! The practice is always two hours long.
At home I simply slept a lot because I was so tired. At the evening we had the birthday party for Katrina. Once again our house were full of people. :)
Day 73 - 27. October 2012 Saturday
I had to wake up early again, at 9 am because of Basketball Free Throw . We had to shot 500 free thows, 4 hours long. From 10am -2 pm. Luckily we hadn't to run this time I was so extremly happy!! Also I did really well, once I even got 9/20! So in the end I managed to get 101/500. I was so proud of that. At half-time we got pizza and pop from our coaches.
Today the kids went trick and treading even though it wasn't Halloween, yet.
At 6 pm we went to Granpa's house with all of the youth group. There we ate some good chili and afterwards we played a game, it was so cold outside but I got the coat from Mom, so I was warm. The game was about finding hidden puzzle pieces with the help of bible phrases. We were seperated into two groups and our group lost the game... But it way still very much fun! Afterwards we played "Kids of the corn field" That is like hide and seek in a cornfield. Laura and I hid together, it was super much fun! We've been the last one in the field and won the game, we were really good in hiding, we head toward a street, walking low, silently and stopped to listen where the others are at.
When ever we heard them close to us we changed our dircetion. Luckily it wasn't that dark so it
wasn't creepy walking through the corn field in the night. At almost the end Laura wrote a message to Dad asking him what we're supposed to do xD He told us that we won the game! :D
Day 77 -31. October 2012 Wednesday -Halloween
Jup, Halloween. If you can believe it or not I really forgot about it compleatly! I remembered it again
as I saw different students being dressed up in school. But the rest of the day I had no real time to worry about that, after school I had again basketball practice which wasn't that hard on me. after
practice Nikki picked me up from the school and we drove to the church. We had a spaghetti dinner. I liked it very much! Also I talked with Wasilia about her presentation she has to do for PAX about her country. So like you see I did nothing Halloween like on Halloween but that doesn't bother me much.
Day 79- 2. November 2012
Even though it was a Saturday it felt like a Friday, because once again basketball practice. As I got home at 10 am, we ate breakfast which felt like lunch to me and soon after got into the car to get to Lafayette. Katrina got her very first haircut that day! In the mall I searched for jeans and a coat but just found some jeans. After we " gave up " searching for a coat we ate at a chinese restaurant, it was real good! Also we font some pretzels, I got one with almonds on it, it were so extremely delicious!
Afterwards we went to Jerry's house and ate a very good fish and just stayed there a few hours. Back home I soon went to bed because I was extremly tired. :)
I can't believe it's already November!! It feels like I just got out of the plane and left Germany!
Random "facts":
Seems like Americans love it to count, especcially when someone is in trouble!
There are corn fields everywhere! - What's around me? Left side, corn field. Right side, corn field.
Behind me, corn fields. In front of me, corn fields. xD
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